Before virtual microscopy, doctors, researchers, students and the like, viewed or examined a sample that had been prepared using a glass slide, which included putting the slide into the microscope, getting a position to view the sample using the microscope and focusing their eyes. While this process can become relatively fast with experience, as a practical matter, because the entire slide cannot be seen by the doctor (e.g., pathologist) and the like in one viewing, it is necessary for them to remember portions of one slide while viewing a slide or slides in combination.
With the creation of virtual microscopy techniques and systems, such as those found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,101,265 and 6,272,235, doctors, researchers and the like can have glass slides digitized and saved, which form the basis for a virtual slide. Virtual microscopy in general concepts has generally begun to cover the acquisition, storage and imaging of microscopic digital or computer readable images. It should be understood that the virtual image is not less real than an image of an actual glass slide, notwithstanding any differences between such images due to resolution of devices of devices for digitizing the glass slide and the glass slide itself.
A comparison was made of 31 commercially available digital slide systems then were then available [“Critical comparison of 31 commercially available digital slide systems in pathology”, Rojo M G, Garcia G B, Mateos C P, Garcia J G, Vicente M C. Int J Surg Pathol. 2006 October; 14(4); 285-305]. Therein it was reported that one of the problems in digital or virtual microscopic systems was that a computer mouse is not a comfortable device for pathologist to use to review the slide. Currently to view a virtual slide, one would cause the virtual slide to appear on the monitor and thereafter to use the computer mouse to grab one side of the image, drag the image over to the far side of the monitor, then unselect the image with the mouse, move the mouse back to the original side of the image, re-grab the image and drag it over to the far side of the monitor, in a repeated fashion to navigate the slide. This is a time consuming process that cannot be overcome using a traditional mouse.
The article does report of a device or controller by Leica Microsystems (SmartMove) that is supposed to provide an ergonomic manual input controller for an automated XY stage and Z focus movement for use with microsystems developed by Leica. This device is usually coupled to a computer via an interface card so that the device can be used with the standard stages and focus adapters being used. Thus, the device is not a mere replacement of the mouse. The article referred to above also indicated or suggested the need for devices to control navigation of the virtual slide and thus replace the common mouse.
It thus would be desirable to provide a new device for controlling navigating of a virtual slide and methods and systems related thereto. It would be particularly desirable to provide such a device, systems and methods that could be adapted for use with any of a number of computer devices.